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29 March 2024

MasterChef India’s Vikas Khanna to tantalise Dubai taste buds

Chef Vikas Khanna in Cafe at the Rubin Museum in Manhattan. (Facebook: Vikas Khanna)

Published
By Bindu Rai

New York City’s Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Junoon has announced plans for a Dubai expansion, with celebrity chef and MasterChef India’s popular judge, Vikas Khanna, serving up the franchise.

The restaurant will open its second location this autumn at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai as a 5,000 square foot, 145-seat contemporary take on traditional Indian cuisine.

New York-based restaurateur Rajesh Bhardwaj, who founded Junoon, stated the new Dubai location will set the stage for future expansion for the brand, in a statement.

“We feel strongly Junoon can be a global brand and have been researching cities that would be a good fit for our first foray into expansion. One of the world’s fastest growing cities and travel destinations, with a large Indian expat community, Dubai stood out as the site of the second Junoon,” Bhardwaj further said.

“Dubai’s dynamic culinary scene, with the world’s most celebrated chefs opening restaurants there, was another draw. Having a presence in Dubai is increasingly important to the future international growth of a restaurant brand.”

Bhardwaj also cited the original Junoon’s popularity with business travellers from the UAE as a factor in deciding on Dubai, along with the restaurant being frequented by some of the Middle East’s VIPs.

Consequently, he considers the Dubai opening a first step to toward the possible establishment of additional locations in the region.

As the first Junoon (“passion” in Hindi) brand extension, the Dubai restaurant will incorporate many elements of the Manhattan original, but will also reflect its Arabian influence.

Some 65 per cent of it will replicate the New York menu, the remaining devoted to new items created for Dubai diners, including dishes based on the grouper and massive prawns for which the local waters are so famous.

Chef Khanna, who was also voted as one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2011, became a known face with Dubai’s large Indian diaspora when he appeared as a celebrity judge on Star Network’s ‘MasterChef India’ on seasons two and three.

Khanna is not the only Indian celebrity chef to open a restaurant in Dubai, with Chef Sanjeev Kapoor running three of his brands in the emirate, with Khazana, Options and Signature; meanwhile, Michelin-starred Chef Vineet Bhatia is the mastermind behind Indego in Grosvenor House.

Two-star Michelin Chef Atul Kochhar also expanded his culinary prowess to Dubai with Rang Mahal at the JW Marriott Marquis.